The Pio II Piccolomini Palace in Pienza and its shake
In march 1459 Pio II began to build new family palace in Corsignano, become Pienza, on site of old house
where he was born. The place not suitable for a great palace and near new cathedral, immediately instability. Pio described church movements only, not palace, and want Bernardo Rossellino to steady them. From late
autumn 1461 Rossellino stood in Pienza and changed shapes of windows damaged. In palace he altered up
part of window and puted an horizontal strip stone to stabilize central upright. Rossellino used the original
pattern window without cross by Piccolomini palace, discovered in restauration 2002-2006, in his wood
model (1464) to facade of Rucellai palace in Florence. When Flavio Biondo was in Pienza in summer
1462 to inauguration of new city, compared changes of two buildings, considered appropriate church
solution only because the light entered in palace less. The Pio’s Commentary implied Flavio Biondo when
mentioned «someone claims light is first building grace»: for Pio, contrary, after renovation, the family
palace retained same cathedral light grace.
